The invention relates to a data processing unit comprising a data network, a file server integrated into the data network and having a server data memory and comprising at least one primary data file system, in which data files stored on the server data memory are filed.
Data processing units of this type are known from the state of the art. The problem is, however, that, on the one hand, the file servers are intended to ensure quick access to the data files but, on the other hand, an adequate security in the case of failures is intended to be present, and combined with this security in the case of failures the possibility of being able to access the data again as quickly as possible after any failure of a file server.
The object underlying the invention is, therefore, to improve the data processing unit of the type described at the outset with respect to its security in the case of failures and the access to the data files following any failure.
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a data processing unit of the type described at the outset, in that the data files of the primary data file system are divided into at least two primary activity groups with a different hierarchical ranking by means of a primary hierarchical memory management in accordance with a primary activity criterion, that the memory management copies at least the data files of the primary activity group with a lowest ranking into at least one secondary data file system on a data memory of a data storage unit positioned subsequent to the server data memory and that the memory management generates metadata from the copied data files of the primary activity group with a lowest ranking.
The advantage of the inventive solution is to be seen in the fact that due to the fact that the data files of the primary activity group with a lowest ranking are copied onto a secondary data file system, a data backup already takes place, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, simplified access to these data files is possible following failure of a file server due to the fact that only the metadata must be present on the server data memory in order to be able to access the data files.
Metadata within the meaning of this application are data which refer to the location of copies of an original data file and preferably have, in addition, data file attributes or data file descriptions, such as, for example, time stamps, of the original data file. With metadata the memory management has the possibility of finding the corresponding data file in its location.
The inventive solution is even more advantageous when data files of a primary activity group with a higher ranking are also copied onto the secondary data file system and when metadata are generated from these data files.
In principle, it is possible to keep the data files in the primary data file system in all the cases where the data files of the respective primary activity group are copied onto the secondary data file system and so direct access to the data files can be brought about with the operating system of the file server and, therefore, the data files copied to the secondary data file system represent a backup copy; on the other hand, the metadata do, however, ensure that B if it should be necessary B quick access to the data files copied to the secondary data file system is possible.
In principle, it would be conceivable to keep the data files of all the activity groups, from which metadata have been generated, in the primary data file system in order to make them available for quick access by the operating system.
This would, however, cause the capacity of the server data memory to increase very considerably.
In order to, therefore, keep the capacity of the server data memory within limits, one advantageous solution provides for the data files of the activity group with a lowest ranking, from which metadata have been generated, to be removed from the first data file system. This is possible since copies are present in the secondary data file system and it is possible to locate the data files via the metadata without any problem. As a result, it is possible to keep the capacity of the server data memory within limits.
It is, however, also conceivable to remove from the first data file system data files of the activity group with a higher ranking, from which metadata have been generated, in order to reduce the necessary memory capacity of the server data memory even more.
With respect to the design of the data memory for the secondary data file system, no further details have so far been given. One advantageous embodiment, for example, provides for the data memory to be formed by a first data storage medium of the post-positioned data storage unit.
With respect to the data management of the data files in the secondary data file system, no further details have likewise been given thus far. In principle, it would be possible to store the data files in the secondary data file system simply on the first storage medium.
In order to also improve the data integrity of the first storage medium which is intended to be preferably designed such that it allows as quick an access as possible to the data files, it is preferably provided for the data files to be divided in the secondary data file system on the post-positioned data storage unit into at least two secondary activity groups with different hierarchical rankings in accordance with a secondary activity criterion by means of a secondary hierarchical memory management, for metadata to be generated at least from the data files of the secondary activity group with the lowest ranking and the data files themselves to be filed on a second storage medium of the post-positioned data storage unit.
In principle, the data files of the secondary activity group can also be kept on the first storage medium in the secondary data file system even though they have been copied and metadata generated from them.
In order to create more memory space in the first storage medium, it is, however, particularly advantageous when, in the secondary data file system, at least the data files of the secondary activity group with a lowest ranking are removed from the first storage medium after their filing on the second storage medium and the formation of the metadata.
In order to ensure the data integrity as a whole in the secondary data file system, it is preferably provided for the data files of activity groups with a higher ranking to also be filed on the second storage medium in the secondary data file system and metadata generated. This has the advantage that even when the first storage medium fails it is still possible with the metadata to recover the data files from the second storage medium and so the second storage medium represents a backup copy for the first storage medium.
With respect to the difference between the first storage medium and the second storage medium of the post-positioned data storage unit, no further details have so far been given. One particularly preferred solution provides for the first storage medium to be a storage medium suitable for quick access to the data and the second storage medium to be a storage medium which is less expensive than the first storage medium and, in particular, to be suitable for the inexpensive mass storage of data files.
With respect to the recovery of information concerning the activities of the data files, no further details have so far been given. A particularly preferred solution provides for a filter system which records activities in the primary data file system in a file-related manner to be associated with the operating system of the file server.
In this respect, it is particularly favorable when the filter system includes the activities with respect to the data files in the primary data file system in a file-related manner.
As a result, it is possible for the filter system to transmit the activities to the primary hierarchical memory management for the formation of the primary activity groups.
It has not been excluded within the scope of the preceding embodiments that several secondary data file systems are also present.
A particular advantage of the inventive solution is that the metadata are built up such that in the case of several secondary data file systems each data file filed in them can be located in each of the secondary data file systems with the same metadata.
For this purpose, it is merely necessary for an additional base reference, which can be set manually or by a configuration in the operating system, to be present for each additional data file system.
In conjunction with the preceding description of the inventive solution, the security aspect which results due to the generation of the metadata has been emphasized, wherein this security aspect is present, in particular, when the metadata, for their part, are saved so that in the case of any failure of a server it is possible by using the saved metadata to facilitate quick access to all the data files, from which metadata have been generated, as a result of a small amount of data, namely only the metadata. In this respect, it is merely necessary to copy only the metadata on the storage medium of the file server, with which operations are intended to be restarted, which is quickly possible on account of the small amount of data and, therefore, access to the data files represented by the metadata is made possible again in the shortest possible time.
Such a copying or saving of the metadata can take place manually.
A particularly favorable solution does, however, provide for a metadata backup management which copies metadata from the server data memory onto an additional data memory.
In this respect, the metadata are preferably retained on the server data memory and only additional copies thereof are generated on the additional data memory.
With respect to the saving of the data files of the primary activity group, from which no metadata are generated, it is likewise possible to copy these onto an additional data memory by means of a user data backup management.
In addition or alternatively to the features of the data storage unit described above, a preferred solution of the object in the case of a data storage unit of the type described at the outset provides for at least some of the data files of the primary data file system to be copied on an additional data memory, for metadata to be generated from these data files and for the metadata to be filed on the server data memory in a metadata file system.
The advantage of this inventive solution is to be seen in the fact that the metadata are not filed in the primary data file system but rather in a metadata file system on the server data memory which is separate from the primary system.
This solution makes it considerably easier to copy the metadata and, therefore, the entire metadata file system onto additional data memories and, therefore, to provide the security function.
In this respect, it is not absolutely necessary with this inventive solution for a primary hierarchical memory management to be present in order to divide the data files of the primary data file system into activity groups. In principle, it would be possible to simply assume with this concept of the inventive solution that metadata are generated from all the data files of the primary data file system.
For reasons of a rational operation of the server data memory it is, however, advantageous when the division of the data files of the primary data file system into those, from which metadata are generated, and those, from which no metadata are generated, is brought about via a primary hierarchical memory management, in particular when it is also possible with it to remove some of the data files from the primary data file system and, therefore, not to allow the required memory capacity of the server data memory to become excessive.
In principle, it would also be conceivable with this inventive concept to copy the metadata file system manually. It is, however, particularly advantageous when the metadata file system is copied by a metadata backup management onto an additional data memory.
Such an additional data memory may be realized in the most varied of ways. One advantageous solution provides for the additional data memory to be a data memory of the post-positioned data storage unit.
A different advantageous solution provides for the additional data memory to be the first data storage medium of the post-positioned data storage unit.
Another solution provides for the additional data memory to be the server data memory of an additional file server.
Such an additional file server can either be a backup file server or a special file server which only serves to take over the operation of the actual file server quickly in the case of any failure of it.
Since the inventive concept explained above does not make a primary hierarchical memory management absolutely necessary but this is advantageously used, it is preferably provided, in accordance with this inventive concept, for the at least one section of the data files of the primary data file system to include the primary activity group with a lowest ranking which is generated by the primary hierarchical memory management.
An additional, advantageous inventive concept, which accomplishes the object set at the outset and can be used alternatively or in addition to the inventive solutions described above, provides in accordance with the invention, in a data processing unit of the type described at the outset and in the case of data files present on the primary data file system, of which data file copies are present on an additional data memory, for a user data backup management to continuously record alterations to the data files in the primary data file system and for the user data backup management to update the data file copies of the data files, which have undergone alterations, with respect to the alterations with a time delay determined by at least one update criterion.
This inventive solution has the advantage in comparison with the known standard backup methods, with which the data are saved, for example, daily or weekly, that a data backup is running continuously, preferably in the background, and it is therefore possible to save the data constantly to an adequate degree in the case of large amounts of data, wherein the advantage is to be seen in the fact that since the backup is constantly running in the background no separate period of time for a data backup is required which is, particularly in the case of large amounts of data, sometimes so great that it is no longer available during customary operating times of a data processing unit.
Furthermore, the inventive solution has the advantage that, particularly in the case of alterations carried out several times, each small alteration, which is subsequently corrected again, need not constantly be saved but rather that alterations repeatedly following quickly one after the one lead, in the long run, to the alteration carried out at the end being saved with the time delay. The time delay can, in this respect, be in the time range of minutes, hours or several hours.
The simplest possibility would be to determine the time delay as a defined parameter. It is, however, particularly advantageous when the time delay is dependent on several parameters, for example, on the effort required for the respective alteration or also on the relevance of the data file or also the work-load of the file server.
Proceeding from a minimum time delay, a particularly favorable solution provides for this to be alterable, in particular, increased in size in a variable manner, for example, in accordance with the predetermined parameters.
In order to keep the effort required for the user data backup management as small as possible, it is preferably provided for the user data backup management to record by means of an alteration filter only the data which have undergone alterations and so it is not necessary in the case of the user data backup management B as in the case of the known, customary backup systems B to check through all the data files for alterations but rather to already register the alterations by means of the alteration filter which interacts with the operating system of the file server. As a result, a considerable expenditure of time and operative effort can be saved during the ascertainment of the alterations.
Furthermore, it is of advantage, in particular, when the alterations are being carried out, when the user data backup management accesses with a data file update system only the data file copies of the data files which have undergone alterations and carries out the alterations in it so that in this case, as well, it is not necessary to check through all the data file copies.
With respect to the filing of the data file copies, no further details have so far been given. It is, for example, particularly advantageous when the data file copies are present in the post-positioned data storage unit.
In this respect, it is particularly favorable when the data file copies are present in the secondary data file system of the post-positioned storage unit.
In this respect, the data file copies can be present either on the first storage medium or the second storage medium of the post-positioned data storage unit, depending on whether the post-positioned data storage unit operates, in addition, with a secondary hierarchical memory management.
It has been assumed for the explanation of the present invention that data file copies already exist for the data files of the first data file system.
Data file copies of this type can, in principle, be generated in the most varied of ways.
One particularly advantageous solution provides for the data file copies to be made by generating metadata so that in addition to each data file copy metadata also exist which are likewise preferably filed on the server data memory.
One particularly favorable solution provides for the data files of the primary data file system to be managed by a primary hierarchical memory management which leaves some of the data files in the first data file system but, nevertheless, generates data file copies and metadata and generates data file copies of a different section of the data files but removes these from the first data file system.
As soon as the alteration in a data file, which has been removed from the primary data file system, has, however, taken place, this presupposes that this data file is copied back first of all to the primary data file system again so that following the alteration the data file is, first of all, present on the primary data file system again and the metadata present refer to the data file copy which has not yet been altered. The inventive user data backup management now leads to an update of the data file copies accessible via the metadata, proceeding from the data file present in the primary data file system, likewise with the inventive time delay and, subsequently, to an update of the metadata, as well.
In conjunction with the inventive concept of the continuous updating of the user data by the user data backup management, as described above, no details have been given concerning the updating of the metadata.
One particularly advantageous inventive concept provides with respect to the metadata for a metadata backup management to continuously detect alterations in the metadata in the primary metadata file system in the case of the metadata, which are present on the primary metadata file system and of which copies are present on an additional data memory, and for the metadata backup management to update the copies of the metadata, which have undergone alterations, with respect to these alterations with a time delay determined by at least one update criterion.
The advantage of this inventive concept is to be seen in the fact that the alterations in the metadata in the primary metadata file system are constantly detected and proceeding from the detection of these alterations the copies of the metadata are updated with a predetermined time delay. This has, with respect to the metadata, the same advantages as those which have been explained in conjunction with the user data backup management for the user data.
The time delay can also be constant in the case of the metadata. It is, however, even more advantageous when the time delay is variable and dependent on specific marginal conditions for the updating of the metadata, such as, for example, the effort required for the updating of the metadata and the work-load of the filer server or similar parameters.
In this case, it is also particularly favorable when a minimum time delay is specified, from which the deviations can then take place due to variable parameters.
In order to also reduce the effort required with respect to the recording of the alterations in the metadata, it is preferably provided for the metadata backup management to record by means of an alteration filter only those metadata which have undergone alterations so that no checking through of the entire metadata for alterations is required.
Furthermore, the effort required for the updating of the metadata may be reduced in that the metadata backup management accesses with a data file update system only the copied metadata, the metadata of which have undergone alterations, and carries out the alterations in them.
In order to have as quick an availability as possible of the data processing system following any malfunction of a file server, one preferred solution provides for access to the data files, for which metadata have been generated, to be brought about in the case of any malfunction of the file server first of all by making the metadata available on the primary data file system of the file server used.
The file server used can be the malfunctioning file server when this has been repaired quickly enough and so the metadata used, for example, from an additional data memory are copied back again which can be brought about very quickly in the case of metadata since the metadata form, even for large amounts of data files, a very small amount of data which may be copied onto a server data memory relatively quickly.
It is, however, also conceivable for the file server used to be a backup server or a file server provided especially for this purpose which takes over the function of the actual file server in the case of the failure or malfunction thereof and onto which the metadata can then either be copied quickly or are already available as copies.
Since the operation of a file server used only with metadata does not allow quick access to the data files but rather this always takes place with delays, it is preferably provided for the continuation of operations, once operation of the file server used has started with metadata, to be brought about by copying data files onto the primary data file system of the server used in accordance with a priority sequence determined from the metadata.
Additional features and advantages of the inventive solution are the subject matter of the following detailed description as well as the drawings illustrating several embodiments of an inventive data processing unit.